Summer Chicken Pasta
This easy Summer Chicken Pasta is made with tender chicken breast, garden-fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil, and a splash of Sauvignon Blanc. Tossed together in a light, buttery white wine sauce, it’s a fresh and flavorful pasta dinner that’s perfect for summer nights.
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
- 2 tablespoon butter, salted
- 3-4 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
- 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
- ½ cup dry Sauvignon Blanc (or other dry white wine)
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- ½ to 1 cup reserved pasta water, as needed
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
- 1-2 tablespoon additional butter, if needed for finishing
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions until just shy of al dente. Before draining, reserve at least 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, season the chicken pieces with salt and black pepper. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic to the same skillet and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Add the chopped fresh tomatoes and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and release their juices.
- Pour in the Sauvignon Blanc and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the wine to reduce slightly.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, then add the drained spaghetti. Toss everything together over medium-low heat.
- Add the freshly grated Parmesan and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss continuously until the cheese melts and the pasta water combines with the butter, wine, tomato juices, and Parmesan to create a light, silky sauce that coats the spaghetti. Add more pasta water, a little at a time, as needed.
- Continue tossing and cooking the pasta in the sauce for 1 to 2 minutes, until the spaghetti is al dente and the sauce has thickened slightly and clings to the noodles.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and gently toss in the fresh basil. Taste and adjust the salt and black pepper as needed.
- Serve immediately with plenty of additional freshly grated Parmesan and, preferably, the rest of that Sauvignon Blanc.
Notes
• Save the pasta water. The starchy pasta water is essential for creating the light, silky sauce in this recipe. Reserve at least 1 cup before draining the spaghetti, even if you do not use all of it.
• Use freshly grated Parmesan. Parmesan grated directly from the block melts more smoothly into the sauce. Pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-caking ingredients that can prevent it from melting evenly.
• Finish the pasta in the sauce. Cook the spaghetti until just shy of al dente, then allow it to finish cooking directly in the skillet with the tomatoes, wine, Parmesan, and pasta water. This helps the sauce cling to every strand of pasta.
• Angel hair works beautifully, too. If substituting angel hair pasta, cook it just until slightly underdone and finish it very briefly in the sauce. Angel hair cooks quickly and can become too soft if left in the skillet for too long.
• Choose a dry white wine. Sauvignon Blanc is my favorite for this recipe because it adds a bright, fresh flavor that complements the tomatoes and basil. Pinot Grigio or another dry white wine will also work well.
• No wine? No problem. Substitute chicken broth for the white wine. The flavor will be slightly different, but the pasta will still be delicious.
• Garden tomatoes are perfect here. Use any ripe, flavorful tomatoes you have available. Roma, cherry, grape, or larger slicing tomatoes all work. If your tomatoes are especially juicy, allow them to cook for an extra minute or two before adding the wine.
• Add the basil at the end. Fresh basil is delicate, so toss it into the pasta after removing the skillet from the heat. This keeps its flavor fresh and bright.
• Serve immediately. The sauce is at its silkiest right after cooking. If the pasta sits and begins to tighten up, toss it with a small splash of warm pasta water before serving.